Fatal Truck Accidents on the Rise

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that there were 37,133 fatal auto accidents in 2017, a 1.8% decrease over 2016. The largest drop in fatal accidents was seen in bicyclists, a group who saw an 8.1% reduction in deadly accidents last year. The drivers and passengers of smaller vehicles saw a modest 1.1% decrease, but the drivers of passenger truck and vans saw a combined 10.3% decrease in fatal accidents, which is consistent with a 40-year downward trend for deadly traffic crashes.

Groups that did not fare as well include:

SUV Occupants - 3.1% Increase

Commercial Vehicles (Large Trucks) - 9% Increase

5-Axle Single-Unit Trucks - 18.7% Increase

The Dangers of Truck Accidents

Trucks are significantly larger, heavier, and bulkier than passenger vehicles. This difference in size can see smaller vehicles destroyed by:

Due to the violence of truck accidents, even at slower speeds, occupants of smaller vehicles are more likely to sustain:

Brain injury

Spinal cord injury

Damage to internal organs

Amputation

Pulverized bones

Even when not deadly, truck accidents are more likely to result in serious, life-altering injury. This type of injury will require long-term, perhaps even permanent medical care during which you may not be able to work. These, along with your personal pain and suffering, must be taken into account when considering how much your claim is actually worth. Our St. Louis auto accident lawyers are here to review your claim free of charge to help you determine if you have an option for legal recourse.

The Problem With Insurance

Insurance companies typically do fine with smaller accidents where only minor damage has occurred. When it comes to the long-term financial, emotional, and physical consequences of a serious injury, however, insurance companies tend to fall short. It is important to remember that insurance companies are for-profit corporations that have stockholders they have to please by maximizing profits. It’s hard to maximize profits when a company is paying out fair settlements to victims of serious injury. The rest of that story writes itself.

An auto accident attorney isn’t concerned with maximizing company profits or beholden to any board-of-directors. An auto accident attorney is concerned only with helping victims of serious injury get the full and fair compensation they will need to live the best life possible.

Brown & Brown is an auto accident law firm serving St. Louis, surrounding areas of Missouri, and Southern Illinois. Our experienced lawyers are dedicated to helping people struggling with serious injury or dealing with the untimely loss of a loved one get the justice they deserve. We welcome an opportunity to meet with you and listen to your story, and to help you determine the best way to get the compensation you are due.

Please call 314-333-3333 to schedule a complimentary truck accident consultation at our St. Louis office. In the Fairview Heights area of Illinois, please call 618-888-8888.

Disclaimer: The information throughout this law firm website is not intended to be taken as legal advice. The information provided by Brown & Brown, LLP is intended to provide general information regarding personal injury, car accidents, truck accidents, mass tort lawsuits, severe bodily injury, workers' compensation, SSDI, and more, for residents near St. Louis, MO, Fairview Heights, IL, and nearby areas of Missouri and Illinois. The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. If you are interested in finding out more, please contact our law firm office today for a free, personal consultation.​​​​​​​ Read our nondiscrimination and ADA compliance statement.